Teaching with the Internet : strategies and models for K-12 curricula /

With Internet connections now a reality in many school classrooms and libraries, this wide-ranging volume will be a welcome addition to professional collections. It is chockablock with ideas and practical applications that will enable librarians, teachers, and students to use the Internet with greater success. After introducing the Internet and presenting a useful, general model for creating an Internet-based lesson, Crane gets down to specifics, taking readers step-by-step through a variety of themed, Internet-based lessons that cut across the curriculum, some for elementary and some for secondary levels. A separate chapter is devoted to using the Internet with ESL students. The book is loaded with useful tables and charts, including forms for lesson and Web-site evaluation, and sample search-planning worksheets for students. Helpful instructions on preparing students to search effectively, with information on using keywords, Boolean operators and even search engines are also part of this well-organized, well-detailed package. A good choice for media specialists gathering materials to assist teachers or preparing students for active Internet learning. --Stephanie Zvirin

For elementary and secondary-level teachers, school library media specialists, and those in public libraries teaching Internet skills, Crane's practical guide offers strategies and lesson plans for weaving the Internet into the curriculum to support active, exciting learning experiences. Going beyond the "nuts and bolts" of how to search the Internet, Crane provides 13 unit plans (with examples included for both elementary and secondary levels) and several lesson overviews. Each chapter suggests how the Internet can enhance teaching effectiveness, how to integrate the Internet with different instructional styles, and how to incorporate the net into specific curricular areas. Crane's clear instructions and numerous creative teaching suggestions make this a recommended guide. For the last 11 years, Crane, who has an Ed.D. in curriculum and instruction and who is director of the English Education Program at San Jose State University, has conducted workshops for K-12 teachers as well as media specialists at the Dialog Corporation using online searching in the curriculum.DLeroy Hommerding, Fort Myers Beach P.L. Dist., FL (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Written for novice and experienced teachers and librarians, this outstanding book is accessible and clearly presented. Critical issues of Internet usage are covered, including the importance and development of acceptable-use policies, Web-site evaluation, and citing online sources. Chapters cover Internet effectiveness in enhancing teaching, integrating Internet use with different instructional styles (cross-curricular units, individualized instruction, and cooperative-learning approaches), and incorporating it into specific curricular areas. Lesson plans have clearly stated goals and objectives as well as step-by-step instructions. Appendixes explain how to use search engines and provide a list of all Web sites mentioned in the book, arranged by subject. Useful figures, rubrics, and charts appear throughout. Other resources cover many of these issues individually but none are as comprehensive as this guide.-Susan Shaver, Hemingford Public Schools, NE (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.